Mueller, Otto (1874-1930) - 1919 Lovers (Museum der Bildenden Kunste, Leipzig, Germany)
Otto Mueller was born in Liebau in German Silesia. Between 1890-1892 he was trained in lithography. From 1894 to 1896 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden and continued his study in Munich 1898. He left Munich's academy after Franz von Stuck classified him as untalented.
His early works are influenced by impressionism, Jugendstil and symbolism. From 1908, he turned more and more to expressionism. During this time there were meetings with Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Rainer Maria Rilke and Erich Heckel. In 1910, he joined 'Die Brücke', a Dresden-based group of Expressionist artists. He was member of the group until it disbanded in 1913 . At the same time Mueller also had contact with the artists group of the 'Blaue Reiter'.
During the World War I he fought as a German soldier in France and Russia. After the war he became professor at the academy of arts in Breslau where he taught until his death. Altogether his printmaking amounted to 172 prints, in woodcut, etching and lithography. In 1937 the Nazis seized 357 of his works from German museums, since the pictures were considered as degenerate art. Mueller was one of the most lyrical of German expressionist painters. The central topic in Mueller's works is the unity of humans and nature, whereas his paintings are focused on a harmonious simplification of form, color and contours. He is especially known for his characteristic paintings of nudes and gypsy women.
Mueller, Otto (1874-1930) - 1919 Lovers (Museum der Bildenden Kunste, Leipzig, Germany)
Otto Mueller was born in Liebau in German Silesia. Between 1890-1892 he was trained in lithography. From 1894 to 1896 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden and continued his study in Munich 1898. He left Munich's academy after Franz von Stuck classified him as untalented.
His early works are influenced by impressionism, Jugendstil and symbolism. From 1908, he turned more and more to expressionism. During this time there were meetings with Wilhelm Lehmbruck, Rainer Maria Rilke and Erich Heckel. In 1910, he joined 'Die Brücke', a Dresden-based group of Expressionist artists. He was member of the group until it disbanded in 1913 . At the same time Mueller also had contact with the artists group of the 'Blaue Reiter'.
During the World War I he fought as a German soldier in France and Russia. After the war he became professor at the academy of arts in Breslau where he taught until his death. Altogether his printmaking amounted to 172 prints, in woodcut, etching and lithography. In 1937 the Nazis seized 357 of his works from German museums, since the pictures were considered as degenerate art. Mueller was one of the most lyrical of German expressionist painters. The central topic in Mueller's works is the unity of humans and nature, whereas his paintings are focused on a harmonious simplification of form, color and contours. He is especially known for his characteristic paintings of nudes and gypsy women.